Tongs for game pieces



July 9, 1940. D, DODD AL TONGS FOR GAME PIECES Filed March 18, 1939 In venior H ,K Jada? EMA deravrz/ I67 ParZ'er A iiorneys Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED srrss TONGS FOR GAME PIECES Harry D. Dodd, Edward M. Anderson, and Tolleson G. Parker, Inman, S. 0.

Application March 18, 1939, Serial No. 262,700

1 Claim.

The present invention appertains to new and useful improvements in amusement apparatus and more particularly to an implement in the nature of tongs whereby game pieces, such as 5 the marbles or spheres employed in the game of Chinese checkers can be handled in a convenient and accurate manner in the operation of making moves, during the course of playing the game.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive appliance which can be used in handling game pieces, to the end that very little effort will be required of the player, and also to the end that the player in making moves will not inadvertently disturb other game pieces, which situation occurs very frequently in the playing of the present popular game of Chinese checkers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 represents a fragmentary sectional view through a Chinese checker board, on which are several game pieces, one of which is engaged by the device of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 generallyv refers to the game board which in the game of Chinese checkers generally consists of the base ply 6 and the superimposed perforated ply '1, this latter ply being perforated to form marble receiving pockets 8 in which the marbles 9 and from which the marbles can be taken and placed in other pockets as moves are made during the playing of the game.

In carrying out the present invention an implement has been devised whereby these marbles can be lifted singly from pocket to pocket, with the minimum amount of likelihood that other marbles will be disturbed, which now frequently occurs as the free fingers of the players playing hand sweep against marbles in moving a marble from one position to another.

This implement which is generally referred to by numeral constitutes the present invention and the first form is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, while a second form is shown in Figure 4.

In construction, this implement consists of a U-shaped handle member of spring wire or rod material, this handle including the leg portions II and I2. The leg portion I2 is curved downwardly and then upwardly to form the downwardly offset jaw loop l3 at its free end, while the leg portion I I adjacent its free end is curved downwardly as at M and then upwardly as at IE to form a complementary jaw loop. The upwardly curved portion I is brought across the leg portion H as at l6 and then extends across to the other leg l2, and over this leg l2 the end portion of the leg H is bent as at I! and extended backwardly as at I8 in spaced relation to its bridge portion 19, thus forming a guide in which the jaw end portion of the leg l2 can operate.

The tension of the leg portions H and I2 is such, that the leg I2 will always abut the bight l1, so that the jaws I3 and M will always be in sufiicient spaced relation to embrace a checker game piece 9. When the jaws l3 and I4 are properly disposed laterally with respect to the game piece 9, the player squeezes the leg members II and I2, thus drawing the jaw members l3 and 14 together against the game piece 9 and thus holding the game piece, the game piece can be lifted and moved to whatever other pocket 8 desired. The guide means l8l9 serves to prevent any ofisetting of one jaw with respect to the other.

This latter provision, na'mely, the guide means IBI9 is absent in the second form of the invention shown in Figure 4.

This second form of the invention is generally referred to by numeral 20 and consists of a U- shaped spring wire or rod element having the leg portions 2| and 22.

The free end portion of each leg is bent downwardly and then upwardly, below the plane of the corresponding leg 2| or 22 to form the loopshaped jaw 23. Normally, these jaws 2323 are sufficiently spaced apart so that they can conveniently be disposed into position at opposite sides of a'game piece 9, after which the leg members 2| and 22 can be contracted to bring the jaws 23-23 into clamping relation with the game piece, preparatory to lifting and moving the game piece to a new position.

At this point it will be noted that in both forms of the invention the jaws are offset downwardly, in each instance below the plane of the corresponding leg members. The object in offsetting these jaws downwardly is to afford as much clearance as is possible between the fingers of the players hand holding the implement and the underlying game pieces on the board.

wardly in a curved form from the plane of the U-shaped member and disposing the said end portions backwardly and upwardly, with one end portion terminating in opposed relation to one leg portion of the U-shaped member, while the other end portion is disposed over its corresponding leg portion and then laterally to bridge the other leg portion and from where it extends backwardly to define a guide extension.

HARRY D. DODD. EDWARD M. ANDERSON. TOLLESON C. PARKER. 

